Cadel Evans (BMC) and Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) racing together near the end of stage 7.

(Roberto Bettini)

Cadel Evans (BMC) pushes the pace on the muddy Strade Bianche.

(Roberto Bettini)

The start of stage 7 in Carrara, Italy.

(Roberto Bettini)

Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) won a mud fight on Saturday in Tuscany, as the region's famed Strade bianche were turned brown by heavy rain on stage seven of the Giro d'Italia. Aggressive riding saw Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) move back into the overall lead of the race after he finished third on the stage, behind Evans and Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Farnese Vini).

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The stage had been expected to shake up the race, but few could have predicted the effect it would have on the overall rankings. Vinokourov now holds a 1:12 lead over Evans, with David Millar (Garmin-Transitions) third at 1:29. Former leader Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Doimo) was never able to close a gap opened when he crashed with 32km-go-to and he slipped back to fifth overall after crossing the finish line two minutes behind the stage winner.

Vinokourov benefited most from Nibali's misfortune, as he assumed control of the selection that formed in the wake of the Italian's crash. The Kazakstani was consistently at the head of the group, pushing the pace and grinding his way towards the race lead. Former mountain-biker Evans appeared one of the most comfortable on the slippery surface of the Strade and was able to match the Astana rider's every attack. However, Iin the final kilometre of the stage, it was Evans who took control on the equally treacherous cobbled run-in to the finish and he surged away from his companions to take victory.

"It was a spectacular stage,” said stage winner Evans. “We'd prepared things in fine detail for the dirt roads. It suited me because I raced mountain bikes for 7 years. That was a huge help for me. I felt strong in the finale and at the finish. I wasn't afraid of going a bit early in the sprint because I wanted to use my strength to win it."

"It's an important moment the Giro and I'm just happy to have survived it pretty well. I don’t know whether it will decide the Giro, but it was important."

If Evans and Vinokourov were the stars of the day, then the road and weather conditions were a very close third. It was cool, and rained much of the stage – the Strada bianche was always going to be a test for the peloton, but its affect was multiplied by the weather. Bikes and riders were covered with the cold brown goo, and the effect on their morale was as heavy as on their equipment.

It was Vinokourov's second appearance on the podium to recieve the maglia rosa. He had previously taken it after the third stage, only to turn it over to Nibali after the team time trial the next day. The new race leader was pleased with his achievement, but questioned the inclusion of the dirt roads in the Giro's parcours.

"The last 45km were worse than Paris-Roubaix,” Vinokourov said. “It was a terrible stage because we went hard right from the start.

"I'm sorry that Nibali crashed in a key moment of the race but it's difficult to be a gentleman 30km from the finish, with the dirt roads to come. I was at the front because it was a critical part of the race and wanted to hit the dirt roads first.

"I don’t think there's a place for dirt roads like this in a stage race like the Giro. In a one-day race yes, but not in a stage race."

Rain and mud rule the day

Two riders were not at the start: Mario Bruseghin, captain of Caisse d'Epargne, and Footon-Servetto's Eros Capecchi. The weather didn't do much to buoy the spirits of those left to race as they faced up to cool, wet conditions for their journey through Tuscany.

The field opened up with a high pace which discouraged any escape attempts, but the 60km mark, Rick Flens (Rabobank) and Nicki Sørensen of Saxo Bank took off – and kept on going. By the feed zone, their gap was nine and a half minutes. That was enough for the peloton, which started giving chase,

The flat first half of the stage gave way to the undulations of the second half. The coming of the hills turned the advantage towards the peloton as they gradually reeled in the two escapees. With 60km-to-go, the field split, never to come back together.

With 50 km-to-go, the gap to the first field had dropped to 1:55, with the second group about a minute back. Only nine km later, the two escapees were caught on the day's second climb.

It was on the descent off the Passo del Rospatoio that things came unstuck for the Maglia Rosa. Following his lime-green line of Liquigas-Doimo teammates, Vincenzo Nibali had nowhere to go as one of his troops' front wheels slid-out on a sweeping right hander. Nibali was one of four Liquigas riders to go down. That incident split the field and by the time Nibali has swapped his damaged bike a high-powered lead group had formed, including Vinokourov.

The lead group, containing Vinokourov, Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone), Thomas Rohregger and Linus Gerdemann (Milram) and Jan Bakelants (Omega Pharma - Lotto), were the first to move on to the Strade bianche, which defied its moniker having by now adopted a muddy brown hue. Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) and Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) were close behind, while Liquigas struggled to close the one-minute gap and bring Nibali back to the front.

Evans lead a group up to the front, as they finally made it off the first section of the Strada and back to paved roads, the Nibali group now 1:30 back.

The group of 28 in front ground their way along, continuing to climb. Things were made more difficult by the mud caked on their bikes, legs and faces. Cunego tried to get away, but Vinokourov relentlessly pulled the group back to the would-be escapee. The second dirt section came at 16 km-to-go, while the riders were becoming increasingly difficult to identify beneath the mud, it wasn't difficult pick out the shape of Vinokourov looming at the front of the group.

Nibali struggled along, sometimes alone, sometimes in a group, but was unable to get closer to the leaders. Ivan Basso was often at his side, and the duo worked hard to limit their losses.

On the final dirt section, Vinokourov attacked, closely followed by World Champion Cadel Evans, who could count on his extensive mountain-biking experience. The agony of the course was written on the faces of all the participants, especially as they hit the 16 per cent gradient of the final climb.

The groups fell apart on the brutal ascent, with also Nibali drifting away from his group. Up ahead, five other riders had joined Evans and Vinokourov - Garzelli, Cunego, Marco Pinotti (HTC-Columbia), John Gadret (Ag2R-La Mondiale) and David Arroyo (Caisse d'Epargne). By now, the race turned into a matter of survival – surviving the cold, wet and mud, the steep gradients, the poor road surface, as well as the fans running dangerously close the riders.

Vinokourov did much of the lead work in the group, seeing his chance to take over the lead in the race. He took off again at the 9km marker, with Evans again hot on his heels. Arroyo eventually clawed his way back, too.

The trio made it back to the asphalt with a 14 second lead over Pinotti, Garzelli, Cunego and Gadret, and nearly two minutes on Nibali. Cunego moved up to join the leaders, as did Pinotti. Vinokourov went again at 3.5km, with all bar Gadret making the leap up to him.

At a hairpin curve near the end, Cunego took the best line and slipped by Evans. He was unable to stay away, though, and Evans moved into the lead on the narrow, cobbled road leading up to the finish.

Evans led all the way to the end, with Cunego unable to come around him. Vinokourov took third on the day, but it was enough to ensure a reunion with the maglia rosa.